German debut for link trains powered by MTU rail drive systems from Rolls-Royce

FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, GERMANY – Link railcars supplied by Polish manufacturer PESA and driven by MTU PowerPacks are now in operation on routes in Germany for the first time. Following the recent certification by the German federal railway office EBA, seven two-car vehicles, each with two MTU type 6H 1800 R85L PowerPacks, will enter service with rail company Niederbarminer Eisenbahn (NEB) on regional lines. NEB has also placed orders for two additional three-car Link trains equipped with PowerPacks based on Series 1600 engines. The environmentally friendly MTU drive units meet EU Stage IIIB emissions specifications and are capable of taking the vehicles up to a maximum speed of 140 kph. The MTU brand is part of Rolls-Royce Power Systems.

Bernd Krüper who heads the Industrial business at MTU said: “The commissioning of these first Link trains marks the start of a new chapter in the success story achieved by our innovative and efficient MTU PowerPacks.” Developed by MTU, the compact PowerPacks incorporate engine, gearbox and generator as required as well as all the sub-assemblies needed to power the train and supply the vehicle’s auxiliary systems. This means they can be easily integrated in the vehicle and customers benefit from particularly simple service and maintenance.

The introduction of the Link Diesel multiple units (DMU) at NEB is an important milestone for these vehicles in the German marketplace. In 2014, Rolls-Royce reached an agreement with PESA to supply the Polish company with up to 940 MTU PowerPacks for Link vehicles. These railcars are scheduled to go into service at the behest of Deutsche Bahn over the next few years and other operators have likewise expressed interest in the diesel-powered railcars.

All Link models are fitted with MTU drive systems. The one- and three-car trains have one and two PowerPacks respectively, each based on Type 12V 1600 R70 engines producing 565 kilowatt. Two-car vehicles are driven by two Series 1800 PowerPacks each generating 390 kilowatt. All of the PowerPacks installed in Link DMUs meet the stringent emissions specifications of EU Stage IIIB and are equipped with SCR units for cleaning exhaust gases.

MTU and PESA have been working together since 2001. In addition to drive systems for Link trains, MTU also supplies type 16V 4000 R84 engines for PESA’s Gama locomotives along with drive units for other vehicle series, newbuilds and repowering projects.

NEB will be running the new trains on its lines from Berlin-Ostkreuz/Lichtenberg to Templin, Werneuchen, Rheinsberg and Kostrzyn (Poland). The trains are certified for operating on both the German and Polish rail networks and are thus suitable for service on cross-border routes. Link trains have been operating successfully with rail companies in Poland and the Czech Republic since 2012.